Fresh ABS data cited by Australian Property Update on 23 October show net permanent and long-term arrivals (NPLT) reached 379,850 in the first eight months of 2025—6.4 percent higher than the same period in 2024 and well above budget projections. Finance commentator Alan Kohler says the figures signal that ‘immigration has stopped declining’, contradicting earlier Treasury forecasts of a sharp fall to 260,000 this financial year.
The rebound is being driven by faster student-visa processing—following Home Affairs’ decision in July to lower the risk rating of 13 universities—and by employers taking advantage of streamlined Skills in Demand visa rules. While business welcomes the larger talent pool, the jump is exacerbating an acute shortage of rental properties: national vacancy rates fell to a record-low 0.7 percent in September and rents rose another 1.2 percent in October.
Property sector analysts warn that the shortfall in the Federal-State Housing Accord’s first year—only 142,000 new dwellings commenced against a target of 200,000—puts further upward pressure on prices. They argue that migration settings and housing supply need to be coordinated, not managed in silos.
For global-mobility managers the takeaway is that employees relocating to Australia in 2026 should budget for double-digit rent increases and expect longer lead times securing accommodation in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. Some firms are expanding temporary housing allowances or negotiating bulk leases with build-to-rent operators to mitigate cost shocks.
The rebound is being driven by faster student-visa processing—following Home Affairs’ decision in July to lower the risk rating of 13 universities—and by employers taking advantage of streamlined Skills in Demand visa rules. While business welcomes the larger talent pool, the jump is exacerbating an acute shortage of rental properties: national vacancy rates fell to a record-low 0.7 percent in September and rents rose another 1.2 percent in October.
Property sector analysts warn that the shortfall in the Federal-State Housing Accord’s first year—only 142,000 new dwellings commenced against a target of 200,000—puts further upward pressure on prices. They argue that migration settings and housing supply need to be coordinated, not managed in silos.
For global-mobility managers the takeaway is that employees relocating to Australia in 2026 should budget for double-digit rent increases and expect longer lead times securing accommodation in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. Some firms are expanding temporary housing allowances or negotiating bulk leases with build-to-rent operators to mitigate cost shocks.
